“Supernatural” Recap 9.01: “I Think I’m Going To Like It Here”

Summer hiatus was brutal, wasn’t it? Last season of Supernatural was uneven (if we’re putting it mildly) so when they (mostly) got their act together for the season finale, we were left wanting more. I mean, angels falling from the sky, Dean and Sam mending their relationship, Castiel becoming human… that’s the kind of stuff that can make a fanboy lose his mind over the summer!

Thankfully the wait is over and we’re back to a world full of back roads and motel rooms. If that sounds like a good time to you, call me. I’m sure my number’s on a bathroom stall somewhere.

The one thing I will say about our show that never falters is the soundtrack. From the moment the recap started, the music was spot on (George Thorogood & The Destroyers“Who Do You Love”) and it set the tone for what was to follow. Now I must warn you, boys and girls, I have kept almost entirely spoiler free all hiatus. I haven’t read, heard, or seen anything about the new season prior to tonight so what you’re about to read are my assumptions and opinions. In other words: feel free to school me in the comments.

From the get-go, we know something is off about this scene with our boys in the Impala – the angles are skewed and the lighting closely resembles a Barbra Streisand interview. In other words, dream coma sequence! Sam is not actually next to his brother on the Impala; he’s lying in a hospital bed unconscious and near death while Dean scrambles to think of a way to stop his world from coming down on him. Of course, by world, I mean Sam. And by coming down I mean dying. Nothing can be done, the doctor tells Dean, other than having faith. Being the take-charge alpha male that he is, Dean is having none of it so he brings the concept of faith a little closer to home – more specifically, Castiel.

Much like we saw him do last season, Dean bows his head and asks Cas for help with his little brother, and when that doesn’t seem to work, he broadens the scope quite a bit to any and all angels who could hear him. Uh oh.

Castiel, of course, can’t hear him because he has had his grace taken away, which essentially means he’s a baby in a trench coat. (If you get that reference, take a shot of your favorite liquor right now and meet me back here in a minute. Yes, I’m turning my recap into a drinking game… and I’ll make the rules up as I go along). Apparently having his grace taken away also means Castiel has completely forgotten how to interact with humans tells an unrealistically-nice stranger about his wings being clipped. Side bar: you know what Cas’ sudden inability to speak human reminds me of? The short lived Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles show and how Summer Glau’s character suddenly became unable to act human when the audience found out she was a robot. Now back to the point! (Take a shot because I went off on a nerdy tangent… again)

After hitching a ride with the guy who almost ran him off the road, Cas ends up at a gas station where (apparently we’ve gone back in time because gas prices are below $3) we meet plot deviceHale. She’ pretty, and she seems nice, which of course means she’s got an ulterior motive and must die because of it. Oops! Spoiler alert!

Meanwhile back at the hospital, Dean’s call to all angels has been answered and not by someone who’s looking to be every helpful. In fact, there is only one thing the overly-handsy angel is looking for and that’s Castiel. Seems like heaven’s former residents are a little miffed at him and for some reason believe that violence against him will fix things. See? Angels really are no better than humans! All is not lost though because another one of the fallen angels has come to Dean’s rescue just in time and aren’t we all grateful that he chose Helo from Battlestar Galactica as his vessel? (Nerdy reference – take another shot – a small one). After some of the worst CGI fire this side of the Canadian border, we find out he’s Ezekiel and he’s here to help. Goody. Let’s start with you taking your clothes off. No, seriously, we’ve all been drinking… we could use a peep show.

Back at El Cheapo Gas, we’ve come to learn some more about Hale and how she’s just a poor little fallen angel looking for some guidance in this strange land and how Castiel’s deliciously bright blue eyes are just what she needs. Unfortunately for her, Castiel gets a hold of Dean on the phone and after learning of what’s going on his friend’s end of the line (namely Sam’s condition and all the angels looking to kick his butt), he decides to follow Dean’s orders and head to the bunker for safety. Hale’s not having it though because she has found her new vessel and it’s Castiel’s body and she ain’t letting it go! We don’t blame her, but we also wouldn’t go all Misery (reference… shot!) on Castiel to get our way, and that’s exactly what she does with a 2 x 4 to the back of his head.

At the hospital, Ezekiel’s weakened form is tying to help a comatose Sam when more angels crash the party, looking to beat the crap out of Dean until he tells them where Castiel is. That doesn’t work and he sends them packing. Then we cut back to inside Sam’s head again where Bobby, or Sam’s brain’s manifestation of Bobby, has been leading Sam through the woods towards a cabin. You see, in his head, Dean has been fighting to keep him alive and now it seems Bobby is helping him towards a more peaceful acceptance of what appears to be the inevitable. I must admit, Writer Dronestm, it’s a clever way to use Bobby.

Who’s waiting for Sam inside that cabin inside his head? You guessed it, Death! Easily one of the more enjoyable characters on this show (and what other show could claim such an honor? None! Death is only awesome on Supernatural!) Sam and Death sit down to have a little chat and it seems that our Sammy boy has earned Death’s respect. Wow. Time to go though. After all, that’s what Death is there for – but before he goes, Sam wants to make sure that no one else can be hurt because of him or by trying to get him back. Of course, we know he’s talking about Dean.

Time’s running out and it looks like Ezekiel isn’t strong enough to heal Sam. There’s only one way and Sam wouldn’t like it. He tells Dean he could inhabit Sam’s body while he heals himself and heals Sam, and Dean tells him Sam would never go for that. He’s right, but what have we learned over the past eight years on Supernatural, kids? That Sam and Dean are the exception to every rule when it comes to each other. You and I know this and so does Ezekiel, which is why he tells Dean that Sam wouldn’t say yes to him, but he’d say yes to Dean.

Ezekiel mind-melds Dean into Sam’s brain just in time to stop him from going with Death, and rather than recap this for you, I’ll just let Dean say it.

“Sam, listen to me. I made you a promise in that church. You and me, come whatever. Well, hell if this ain’t whatever! But you gotta let me in, man! You gotta let me help! There ain’t no me if there ain’t no you!”

(Take a shot because that was beautiful!) Wow. Slap me in the face with it, why don’t ya? Of course, who would say no to that? Sam says yes and Dean and Ezekiel get him out of there stat!

On the other side of the coin, Castiel found a way to get himself out of the pickle he found himself in, with Hale firmly in the crazy driver’s seat and him a hostage. He puts on his seat belt, grabs the steering wheel and sends their car off the road, crashing it and hurling her from it. He’s mostly unharmed, but she now looks like a walker right off The Walking Dead set. He fully plans on leaving her there until… she threatens to tell all the angels where he is. Silly girl. Remember that spoiler alert from earlier? Well, now she must be killed.

The good news though is that Sam is up and walking! Well, sort of. Ezekiel, in Sam’s body, and Dean walk out of the hospital (we’ll miss you Helo!) and they have “the talk.” No, not that one. The one where Ezekiel tells Dean that if Sam finds out he’s in that body too, he might eject him and then it’d be all over for Sam. Now, I know what you’re going to say… “Dean hiding something from Sam again! No!” Hold your horses and take a deep breath. This is actually a new one, something none of us expected, and I’d be a liar if I said I didn’t want to see where this is going. It’s interesting to say the least, and the potential is fantastic!

We end the episode with Sam, the real one, waking up next to Dean on the front seat of the Impala (right where he belongs) and Dean lying to him about what’s happened since the angels fell from heaven. It’s for his own good, but it doesn’t make it any easier for Dean and it’s heartbreaking to watch, especially when Sam turns to him and says, “Good, because we got work to do.”